Hashbrown and Crow

Father Wounds

Asha and Ares made it back to the house a little after midnight. Grandma winked at them as they headed upstairs together, bypassing all the sleeping figures camped out in the living room.

"I'm never getting used to that," Ares told her, his hand caressing hers as they walked down the hallway.

Asha nodded, "It must be a culture shock."

After seeing how Hase's family reacted to her and Fallon just hanging out, Asha could understand Ares' bewilderment. They really did come from two different cultures.

They were both dead tired when they hit her room, and though Ares looked around, Asha immediately flopped onto her bed. Deciding that she was far more interesting, Ares he soon crawled into bed next to her.

They were asleep in minutes.

***

Asha's phone buzzed, waking them up just as daylight was creeping over the mountains.

"Huh?" Ares murmured, drawing Asha closer.

"Hmmm? Oh!"

Asha grabbed the phone that lay, forgotten, on the nightstand beside them, quickly answering, "Hello?"

"Asha, where the hell are you? What's happening?"

"Who is it?" Ares murmured.

"Tori?" Asha questioned.

"Uh, yeah, what's this about a dragon shifter and you and Ares and Fallon and even Hase going to Arreous this morning with a fairy pirate?!"

"Ummm, yeah, that about covers everything," Asha said with a yawn. "Except my aunt's going too."

Ares smirked and kissed her nose, her cheek.

Rolling her eyes, she pushed his head away and clicked the phone to speaker.

"Asha!!! What's going on? I overheard my dad. He said it was a suicide mission, that the dragons would kill you if they caught you with the child."

She sounded like she was crying.

"Yeah," Ares cut in, his face and voice serious. "That's kind of what I thought too. That's why she's not going alone. And Fallon has the ability to translate, so we at least have a shot now."

Silence reigned for a moment, and then Tori gave a huge relieved sigh, "Well, that's something at least. Maybe you will come back alive."

Asha felt her heart twist along with her stomach. She glanced at Ares and saw a similar look in his eyes. "I don't know if we'll be able to stay here, even if we make it back after this mission. We kind of announced to the Council and all of the Weildon that we were Bloodmates."

"Holy shit! Why would you do that?!"

Ares answered, "Because Alpha wanted to send her alone. It was the only way we could force their hand."

A knock sounded on Asha's door, and before she could respond, Fallon and Hase walked in.

"Who's on the phone?" Hase wondered.

"Tori," Asha mouthed.

Tori's silence ended, and she started speaking quickly, "I told my dad I was going to go too, but he told me no. So I went above his head and asked my grandma. Also no. And Michaela went all the way up to Matron, who also said no and threatened to bind out powers if we went anywhere near the Gates. I'm sorry, Asha."

Asha was blindsided, "Tori... I never expected you--"

"But," Tori cut back in, "Michaela and I have a plan."